NL9001437A - CRATE FOR INCLUDING A NUMBER OF BOTTLES. - Google Patents

Description

Title: Crate for holding a number of bottles

The invention relates to a crate for accommodating a number of bottles and provided with a base, of four side walls, each with a horizontal top edge and see-through openings and of partitions, which form a compartment for the bottles to be accommodated.

Such crates with see-through openings are known from, for example, Dutch patent application 8701081 and European patent applications 253 363 and 318 123. The see-through openings have the advantage that the crates can be used for several products to be packaged in bottles, because the labels of the bottles, at least for part, be visible. Thus, such a crate can be used without the provision of additional provisions for accommodating bottles of varying content without having to pull a bottle out of the crate each time in order to be able to read on the label what is in that bottle. Additional provisions are intended to be applied to the crate and exchangeable means, such as a card that can be slid into a receiving compartment, on which the varying contents of the crate are indicated.

Crates of this type should be able to be stacked in groups in groups, for example seven layers on a pallet and three pallets on top of each other. With such stacking, the bottom crate can be subject to a load of about 400 pounds. Since each crate can be the bottom, all crates should therefore be designed in such a way that they can withstand the intended load with certainty. The above-mentioned known crates are therefore all provided with a sturdy frame with corner supports which can be denoted as robust. However, such bulky corner struts significantly decrease the "display" value of a crate with see-through openings, especially on the short side of a rectangular crate, which is often the only visible side on store shelves.

The object of the invention is to considerably increase the "display" value of a crate with see-through openings without adversely affecting its strength, and in particular its stacking strength.

According to the invention this is achieved by at least one partition connecting to a side wall, which extends, at least in the connection area on that side wall, to near the top edge of said side wall, said partition having a top edge without essential parts extending vertically or substantially vertically and in the area located near the side wall has such a configuration that, seen in the height direction of the crate, the line formed by the centers of gravity of the vertical force passage is staggered inwardly relative to that of the forces exerted on the top edge of the side wall. These measures effectively involve the bulkhead construction in the crate, which heretofore was primarily only intended to provide a division of the profession, in absorbing and transmitting stacking forces. Moving the force transmission line inward creates a moment which puts the upper edge area of the bulkhead under tensile stress. The top edge area is thereby placed and shaped in such a way that this virtually prevents an outward displacement of the top edge area of the side walls.

An examination of the interplay of forces in a stack further taught that, due to the fact that if a stacking takes place in connection, specific pressure points within such a stack are in each case spaced from the corners of the crates. This insight and the giving of the partitions a function in absorbing and transmitting the forces meant that, surprisingly, the provision of, for instance, corner supports could be dispensed with without reducing the possibilities for stacking a number of such crates. In this way, the "display" value of the crate could be considerably increased, because in the absence of the corner supports almost half the circumference of the corner bottles can be observed.

If, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the side wall side partition intended for this purpose ends in a longitudinal edge, which recesses partly relative to the side wall towards the interior of the crate, it is even possible to achieve that of each bottle placed along the side walls. half perimeter is visible, because the crate is, as it were, provided with an all-round circumferential groove. In such an embodiment of the crate, special requirements will be imposed on the material from which the crate is manufactured.

In practice, it will therefore often be preferred that the said partition on the side of the side wall ends in a stud-shaped part, which is arranged with respect to the side wall in an offset to the interior of the crate in such a way that the successive, in height direction, In connection with the vertical force transmission, cross sections of the stud-shaped part are located at least for the most important part within the boundary given by the inner surfaces of the side walls. The "display" value of the crate will decrease slightly due to the style construction, which reduction will be the least if the intended cross-sections are entirely within the boundary given by the inner surfaces of the side walls, but this is usually not a disadvantage, since the label remains clearly visible and the bottle parts next to the label for light-sensitive drinks must be protected. In addition, the uprights provide a more direct force transmission, while retaining the force transmission function of the bulkheads, so that less demands are made on the material compared to the embodiment referred to in the previous paragraph.

From an injection molding point of view, it is preferable that the cross-sectional style part has the shape of an open profile, such as a U- or a V-shape, with the open side facing the environment of the crate. The crate will be more aesthetically pleasing and maintenance-friendly if the cross-section of the style is in the form of a hollow closed profile, the outer description of which is located in the outermost peripheral surface of the crate.

As mentioned, by the abovementioned measures under pressure load, a bulkhead in the manner of a bracing connection will virtually prevent outward displacement of the top edge area of the crate, whereby, according to a further embodiment of the invention, it is possible for a near the top edge of a sidewall terminating bulkhead extends downwardly from that sidewall. Thus, that partition will have little or no influence on good and desired accessibility for bringing a bottle into or out of the crate. This effect can be optimized in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention if a partition terminating near the top edge of a side wall forms part of a transverse wall, which is formed from at least two mutually elongated partitions and extends from said side wall to the opposite side wall, and the partition connecting to the latter side wall, extends, at least in the connection area on that side wall, near the top edge of that side wall, whereby the top edge of a transverse wall takes the form of a box or tub in cross section, which shape can be influenced further if, in the case of a transverse wall formed by three or more partitions, a part which adjoins a part connecting to a side wall extends downwards from that point of connection. Due to these measures, opposite side walls become, as it were, "arch bridge" -shaped, which has a further, positive influence on the crate strength and stiffness.

In fact, only the partitions at or near specific pressure points in a bandage stack should extend to near the top edge of the crate. However, because the pressure points can differ in a stack depending on the location, it is preferable, partly for symmetry and manufacturing considerations according to a further embodiment of the invention, that all partitions connecting to the same side wall, at least in the connection areas on that side wall, extending to near the top edge of that side wall.

As explained above, the bulkheads can be effectively utilized when their tops and bottoms are subjected to tensile stress. According to a further embodiment of the invention it may be preferable, in order to promote this loading pattern, that a horizontal, outwardly extending collar connects to the top edge of a side wall, to which collar a vertical downwardly reaching flange connects again. By this measure, the pressure loads to be absorbed and passed on are mainly brought slightly outside the side wall of the crate, so that the reinforcing effect of the partitions can be optimally effective.

Because, according to the invention, the forces can be absorbed in the optimum places in a rather optimal manner, the "display" value of the crate can be maximized not only at the location of the corners but also at the longitudinal side walls, in particular because it is possible to is that the side walls at the location where see-through openings are present are completely missing and the side walls are connected to the base by the partitions.

If, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a pillar-shaped element is arranged at the intersection points of a first set of parallel transverse walls and a second set of parallel transverse walls perpendicular to the first set, a compartment formed by the partitions in the crate is also better off. to tune to the usually circular cross-section of a bottle, which tuning can be further promoted by a suitable choice of a possibly present stylistic part.

The further away a partition is from a sidewall, the less it contributes to the discussed reinforcement effect of the crate. In connection with this, according to a further embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the partitions which do not adjoin the side walls are provided with recesses, the recesses being able to be chosen such that the partitions have a substantially Y-shape. Thus, crate material can be saved and the weight of the crate reduced without substantially affecting its strength and rigidity.

With reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing, the crate according to the invention will now be further discussed and explained. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a conventional crate stack; fig. 2 shows in perspective a first embodiment of a crate according to the invention; fig. 3 partly in front view and partly in section along line III-III in fig. 4 the short side of the crate according to fig. 1; fig. 4 shows a top view of a part of the crate according to fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows in perspective a second embodiment of a crate according to the invention; Fig. 6 shows in perspective a third embodiment of a crate according to the invention; Fig. 7 shows the crate according to Fig. 6 in cross section; and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 1, two layers of a conventional bandaging stack of a number of crates 1a and 1b are shown, with the top layer of crates 1a in solid lines and the bottom layer of crates 1b in dashed lines. As can be seen from the drawing, the top layer is rotated about a vertical axis through 180 ° relative to the bottom layer. Those parts of the bottom edges of the upper crates 1a which contact the upper edges of the lower crates 1b are indicated by a dotted pattern. The elongated contact areas will present few problems for absorbing and transferring stacking forces. The more pointed contact areas could be more critical in connection with the transmission of vertical forces there. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the latter contact areas are always at a distance from the vertices. Partly on the basis of this insight, the crate construction according to the invention is based, in other words, this insight offered the option of abandoning corner supports, provided that otherwise good force absorption and transmission was provided, preferably approximately at the location of the more or less pointed contact areas referred to. . According to a further aspect of the invention, this force collection and transmission was found in a special construction of the partitions, which form a division in the crate, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures shown in Figs. 2-4, 5 and 6-8 are embodiments shown.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective a first embodiment of the crate 1 according to the invention, which crate is provided with a substantially rectangular base 2, four side walls 3 and partitions 4a-d, which divide a compartment for the bottles not to be shown. to shape.

The base 2 consists of a cross-section U-shaped edge 5 (see fig. 3), a plate-shaped bottom part composed of rings 6 and strips 7 (see fig. 4) and short sleeve-shaped leg parts 8 (see fig. 3). The leg parts 8 are positioned in such a way that the stacking discussed with reference to Fig. 1 remains possible and the leg parts extend into the open top part of at least one lower crate, so as to counter a lateral shift and a connection between two lower crates to accomplish.

The side walls 3 are provided with see-through openings 9, which are separated from each other by a V-shaped cross section section 10a, part of a baffle 4a, which merges with the tip of the V-shape into the remaining plate-shaped section 10b of that shot 4a. Thus, the side wall is missing over the height of the see-through openings 9. At its top edge, each side wall 3 is provided with a horizontal, outwardly extending collar 11, to which a vertically downwardly extending flange 12 connects. On both short sides of the substantially rectangular crate 1, the side walls 3 and the flanges 12 are provided with openings 13 in order to be able to pick up and move the crate 1.

The partitions 4a-d placed within the enveloping side walls 3 form a division for the bottles to be received, but not shown. This division of compartments is most clearly visible from fig. 4. A pillar 14a-b has been placed at a location where four partitions converge each time.

The partitions 4a, which on the one hand connect with their V-shaped style part 10a to a side wall 3 and on the other hand with their plate-shaped part 10b on a pillar 14a, are designed according to the invention such that they are near the top edge of the side wall, i.e. the collar 11 end. From that junction on side wall 3, the top edge of a bulkhead 4a slopes downwardly and connects at its other end to the top end of a pillar 14a, thus having a length shorter than the internal height of the crate 1. Thus remains the receiving compartment, partly formed by such a partition 4a, readily accessible for placing a bottle therein and taking it out again. The post-shaped parts 10a and the pillars 14a have the further effect that the cross-section of such a receiving compartment is more adapted to the often circular cross-section of a bottle. In view of the "display" character of the crate 1, it may be preferable to arrange in a receiving compartment means which maintain the rotational position of an inserted bottle, so that a bottle once with its label facing the see-through opening is in the crate placed during transport, for example, remains positioned in such a way that the label is always optimally visible.

If a second similar crate or a stack of such crates is placed on the crate 1 shown in Fig. 2, that weight will start to press on the top edge of the side wall 3. By sliding the leg parts 8 of an upper crate along the inner side of the side wall 3 of an underlying force, the side wall will, if the applied force is such that the side wall wants to deflect laterally, move outwards.

However, this displacement is effectively prevented by the partitions 4a terminating near the top edge of the side wall 3, which will thereby be subjected to tensile stress in their top edge region, i.e. in the direction in which these partitions can optimally absorb and transfer a load. It should be noted in this connection that, as explained with reference to Fig. 1, specific printing points during a stacking are located at a distance from the corner points, therefore wholly or almost at the location of the partitions 4a, which further promotes an optimal processing of a stacking load.

It should further be noted that the collar 11 is placed such that it extends outward from the side wall 3. As a result, an applied stacking force will have an even more tendency to want to push the side wall outwards and thus promote the desired load pattern of the partitions 4a.

The partitions 4b run from a pillar 14a to a lower pillar 14b, which is further from the side walls 3 than the pillar 14a. The stacking forces from the collar 11 to be received and passed through the baffle 4b are considerably smaller than the intended forces for the baffle 4a. From the viewpoint of weight and material savings, the partitions 4b are therefore provided with recesses, such that they take a shape which can be roughly indicated by the letter "Y". This shape is more evident in the partitions 4c (see in particular Fig. 2), which extend between two pillars 14a or two pillars 14b of equal height.

As may be seen from Figures 2-4, a number of mutually elongated partitions 4a and 4b in the crate 1 form a transverse wall extending parallel to the short side of the crate, the top edge of which has a substantially arcuate shape, which is comparable is with a cross-sectional line of a tub or tub. Thus, in the manner of bridges, a further stiffening of the crate construction between the long sides has been obtained. There is a specific connection between the short sides of the crate by a number of successive partitions 4a and 4c.

It should be noted that it can be seen from Fig. 3 that at the location of a breach 13 in a short side of the crate 1, the partition 4d connecting to the side wall 3 there does not reach near the top edge of the side wall in order to allow the breach to pass through it. can reach with one hand completely free. Such a lower bulkhead is possible without substantially affecting the strength of the crate. On the one hand because the top edge area above the breach is provided with reinforcing and stiffening ribs, on the other hand because no specific pressure points are present in the middle area of the short side of the crate. As follows from Figure 1, such pressure points will be approximately one-fourth the length of the short side of the crate in a bandage stack: see the middle two crates in a row of four. Fig. 1 further shows that the pressure points on the long sides are located half the length of the long side of the crate or about one fifth of that length from a corner point of the crate. Optionally, therefore, the second and the fourth bulkhead 4a could be made lower on a long side as shown in Fig. 2, for example in the manner as bulkhead 4d in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a variant of the crate as shown in FIG. 1, where like parts are designated with like reference numerals. The differences between the two embodiments lie in the design of the partitions 24a connecting to the side walls 3. The first difference lies in the more obtuse-than-smoothly curved design of the top edge of the baffles 24a to further facilitate access to the pockets located along the side walls 3. The second difference is the closing of the open ν 'shape of a style part 210a with a second style part 210c, which also has a V-shape in cross section, which connects with its open side to the open side of the style part 210a while its point ends in the outer surface of the flange 12. For further clarification, in Fig. 4 one of such stylized parts 210c is indicated by a dashed line. The additional style-shaped part 210c can be arranged from an aesthetic or maintenance-technical point of view, since on the one hand a tighter appearance is obtained and, on the other hand, recesses in which dirt can accumulate are prevented. Such an additional style-shaped part 210c will also provide a further strength improvement without incidentally affecting the "display" value of the crate. It should also be noted that, as in the embodiment according to Fig. 2, the absence of corner supports is a striking landmark of the crate. This is also enforceable if other embodiments for the posts are chosen, which of course can have many other cross-sectional shapes in addition to the embodiments shown. The same applies of course to the partitions and pillars used in the crate, which, for example, as already mentioned, can still be provided with means for fixing an inserted bottle in its position. It is important that at the locations indicated above in more detail, a bulkhead extends near the top edge of the adjacent side wall of the crate and the force passage takes place within the side wall, so that the bulkheads effectively cooperate with the force absorption.

In Figs. 6-8 show a third embodiment variant of the crate according to the invention. Again, like parts are designated with like reference numerals. For example, the crate is provided with a substantially rectangular base 2, which consists of a U-shaped edge 5 in cross section (see Fig. 7), a plate-shaped bottom part and short sleeve-shaped leg parts 8. The top edges of the four side walls 33 each close again a horizontal collar 11 with a verical flange 12. A partition for the bottles is again provided by means of partitions 34a-c, wherein a pillar 314a-b is placed at an intersection of four partitions. The partitions 34a are again composed of a plate-shaped part 310b and a V-shaped part 310a, of which the legs of the V-shape are curved in such a way that each leg with an adjacent leg has a circular arc adapted to the cross section of the not shown bottles to be included.

As can be seen most clearly from Fig. 7, the V-shaped part 310a, which in principle has a style, is provided with an interruption at the viewing openings 9, with which, as Fig. 6 shows, a particularly striking appearance and with respect to the exemplary embodiments discussed above. even further enlarged "display" value for the crate is obtained. It will be clear that such an embodiment of the crate is only possible by allowing the force transmission to take place via the partitions according to the invention.

It goes without saying that many modifications and variants are possible within the scope of the invention. A number of those variants have already been discussed and indicated in the foregoing. It has already been noted that the side wall at the location of the see-through openings 9 is missing. From the foregoing it will also be clear that the height at which that side wall is missing is less important for the crate from a strength point of view. The height of the side wall still shown could thus be reduced even more. Choosing the side wall height is therefore related to factors other than strength. In a number of cases, this height should preferably be such that only the label is left free, for example because of the photosensitivity of the packaged drink. Also, the selected height may be related to the shape of the bottles to be housed in the crate. A too low side wall height could then entail the bottles getting out of the crate through the clear openings.

Claims (15)

Crate for accommodating a number of bottles and provided with a base, four side walls, each with a horizontal top edge and see-through openings and partitions, which form a division for the bottles to be accommodated, characterized by at least one adjoining a side wall bulkhead extending, at least in the connection area on said sidewall, to near the top edge of said sidewall, said bulkhead having a top edge without substantial vertically or substantially vertically extending portions and having such a configuration in the area adjacent to the sidewall, that in view of the height of the crate the line formed by the centers of gravity of the vertical force passage is staggered inwardly relative to that of the forces exerted on the top edge of the side wall. Crate according to claim 1, characterized in that said partition on the side of the side wall ends in a stud-shaped part, which is arranged offset to the interior of the crate with respect to the side wall in such a way that the successive, in height direction, In connection with the vertical force transmission, cross sections of the stud-shaped part are located at least for the most important part within the boundary given by the inner surfaces of the side walls. Crate according to claim 2, characterized in that said cross-sections are located entirely within the boundary given by the inner surfaces of the side walls. Crate according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the cross-section of the post has the shape of an open profile, such as a U- or a V-shape, the open side being directed towards the environment of the crate . Crate according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the cross-section of the post has the shape of a hollow closed profile, the outermost description of which is located in the outermost peripheral surface of the crate. Crate according to claim 1, characterized in that said partition on the side of the side wall ends in a longitudinal edge, which recesses partly relative to the side wall towards the interior of the crate. Crate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a partition ending near the top edge of a side wall extends downwards from that side wall. Crate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a partition ending near the top edge of a side wall forms part of a transverse wall, which is formed from at least two mutually elongated partitions and extends from said side wall to the opposite side wall, and the partition connecting to the latter side wall extends, at least in the connection area on said side wall, to near the top edge of said side wall. Crate according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all partitions connecting to the same side wall extend, at least in the connection areas on said side wall, to near the top edge of said side wall. Crate according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a horizontal, outwardly extending collar connects to the top edge of a side wall, to which collar a vertical downwardly reaching flange connects again. Crate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side walls are completely missing at the location where there are see-through openings and the side walls are connected to the ground surface by the partitions. Crate according to any one of claims 8-11, characterized in that in a transverse wall formed by three or more partitions, a partition, which connects to a partition connecting to a side wall, extends downwards from that connection point. Crate as claimed in any of the claims 8-12, characterized in that a pillar-shaped element is arranged at the intersections of a first set of parallel transverse walls and a second set of parallel transverse walls perpendicular to the first set. Crate according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partitions which do not adjoin the side walls are provided with recesses. Crate according to claim 14, characterized in that the recesses are chosen such that the partitions have a substantially Y-shape.